Sand-molding machine.



W. C. NORCROSS.

SAND MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1911.

1,031,084, Patented July 2, 1912.

` r v Zmw 672mm@ www @ma 1 WILLIAM C. NORCROSS, OF TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA.

SAND-MOLDING MACIIINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1912.

Application filed July 29, 1911. Serial No. 641,363.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VViLLIAM C. Nokokoss, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Terre IIaute, in the county of Vigo and State ofIndiana, have invent-ed new and useful Improvements in SandeMoldingMachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sand molding machines and is an improvement onthe sand molding machines set forth in Letters Patent of the UnitedStates granted to me December 10, 1907, No. 373,5311 and April 5, 1910,No. 954,399.

rIhe object of the Apresent invention is, more particularly, to improveupon the valve mechanism of the invention set forth in Patent No.954,399 and to provide a new segment valve, spring seated in a newmanner, whereby leakage of the fluid pressure minimized and by which themachine is rendered more efficient and economical in the consumption ofthe fluid pressure, air being the fluid pressure most usually employedin the machines of my aforesaid patents and in the present machine.

In the accompanying drawings z-Figure 1 is a Vertical section; and Fig.2, a detail frontelevation of the valve.

As in my patents aforesaid, the present machine has a base 1, uprightcylinder 2, table 24k, trunk piston 9 which carries the table, and cap10. Oil holes 11 and 12 may be employed for the feed of lubricant to thepiston. In the present machine, the cap 10 is preferably made in two ormore sections to permit of suitable adjustment to properly fit thepiston 9, and I also preferably pro* vide a guide pin 25 on the table 24sliding through an opening in the cap 10 to prevent the table fromturning. A chamber 3 in the base 1, receives the air or other motivefluid through a pipe l1. In the present machine, the chamber 3 is inonly one part of the base; the exhaust muffler chamber 7 is on only oneside of the cylinder 2, and there is but one valve which is located atone side of the piston. The exhaust pipe appears at 8.

Leading upwardly from the bottom of the base 9a of the cylinder is theadmission port 5 which opens into the cylinder near the bottom thereof,and immediately above this port is the exhaust port 6 alfordingcommunication between the cylinder and the exhaust muffler chamber 7. Inthe side of the piston is a chamber 15 which has a port 16 leading tothe lower face of the piston 9. The piston is provided with a striker13. Located inthe chamber 15 and of not quite the length thereof, is thesegment valve 17 which, also, is of somewhat less height than the heightof the chamber 15 so that it may have a limited vertical, as well aslateral, play therein. This valve has an elongated port 18 extendingtherethrough from one side to the other which may register with port 5or port 6 according to the position of the valve. The valve has ashoulder 19 which may be completely circular or in sections. A coilspring 20 is seated in a frustoconical radial socket 21 in the pistonand has its outer end bearing against the back of the valve 17 andretained against displacement by the shoulder 19. The spring 20 holdsthe valve 17 snugly against the side of the cylinder 9 and, owing to thefact that the socket or recess 21 is sufficiently large, this spring canex or bend, without shifting the valve 17, as the piston plays up anddown and carries the inner end of said spring to and fro. The mainfunction of the spring is to hold the valve seated against the side ofthe cylinder.

In operation, the mold to be rammed or jolted is placed on the table 24and motive fluid, such as compressed air, is admitted through the pipeIl into the chamber or reservoir 3. A suitable valve will be provided tocontrol. the admission of the pressure through the pipe 1. Assuming thatthe parts are in the position shown, the air passes upwardly throughport 5, port 18 and through port 1G and exerts its pressure against thebase 1 below the piston. In consequence, the pressure raises the piston,the spring 2O flexing to permit this action, until the shoulder 22 onthe piston strikes the lower edge of the valve 17, whereupon the valveis quickly shifted upwardly with the piston. On such upward shifting ofthe valve, the port 18 is brought into alinement with the port6,-whereupon the pressure exhausts from chamber 15 through ports 1S and6 into the muffler exhaust chamber 7 and out through pipe 8, the. lowersolid portion of the valve meanwhile covering the exit of port 5. Thevalve remains in this position until the piston, being deprived ofpressure to actuate it upwardly, drops suddenly downward and brings theshoulder 23 against the upper edge of the valve, whereupon the valve iscarried downwardly until the port 18 is opposite the port 5, whereuponthe upper solid portion of the valve' closes the port 6, but after thisoccurs, the part 13 impactively'strikes the base 1 imparting a shock orjolt to the table 24, and in consequence, to the mold carried thereby,thus settling the sand in the mold. Immediately the port 18 comesopposite the port 5, pressure is re-admitted below the piston so thatimmediately succeeding the blow just described, the piston is againforced upwardly and the operation is repeated.

The coil spring 20 being flexible, performs the two-fold function oflirmly holding the valve 17 against the cylinder 2 and liexes with themovements of the piston to and fro so that the valve'is shifted only bythe striking of the shouders 22 and 23 thereagainst. The valve mechanismof 'the present invention is veryeliicient in preventing leakage of thecompressed air and insures the economical use of the air in theoperation of the machine.

Itv will be understood that my invention is not restricted to the use ofa single cylinder and piston, as a plurality of cylinders and aplurality of pistons connected to the table at different points thereof,may be employed. Nor is my invention restricted to the use of one valveon a given piston, as one or more valves may be used on the piston,whether in a continuation of the same therewith, and a port extendingfrom said chamber to the space in the cylinder at the end of the piston,a valve loosely positioned in said chamber and adapted to control theinlet and exhaust ports aforesaid, and a coil spring seated in saidrecess in said piston and abutting' against the back of said valve, saidcoil spring being adapted to keep the valve seated when kicked by thepiston, and to llex when its inner end is carried to and fro during themovements iof the piston,

without shifting thehvalve by said llexing.

In testimony whereofv I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses. Y

VILLIAM C. NORGROSS. Witnesses:

HARRY J. BAKER, STELLA M. THOMAS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

